


last night

by gomushroom



Series: after all this time [1]
Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Relationship Negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 10:50:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17527358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gomushroom/pseuds/gomushroom
Summary: Sho reluctantly attends the annual Ministry of Magick Yule Ball. He is seated next to his crush, the elite Auror, Matsumoto Jun. And then their night begins.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The first of Sakumoto fic in this HP-ish universe (in two chapters). I borrowed many sub-settings to add more ‘colors’ so this can be something a bit more than just a usual one-night-stand story in an Office AU fic. Happy Birthday Mr Sakurai Sho <3! I had wished that it would be a beautiful ~~day~~ month all the same but sometimes we cannot have it all.

Sho steps into the ballroom entrance and immediately the grim cold weather outside forgotten as calming warmth welcomes him. Yet after casting a charm to have his traveling cloak checked, he lingers at the edge of the room. 

The Ministry truly made an effort to decorate the main stage with what seems like fresh flowers instead of some fake charmed ones, at least that’s one small plus. Ministry Ball is infamous for its being a subpar feast—the office always reasons to keep expenses to a minimal, and it is only due to centuries of tradition of the Yule Ball stays as the annual event. Small crowds already gather around dinner tables, conversing with colleagues as they all wait for the scheduled speeches. It’s always better to come later than the designated opening hour—that means Sho can avoid unnecessary small chats without neglecting his official objectives tonight. He receives a tall glass of complementary sparkling water from a passing waiter, and from the top of the grand stairs, he can have the full view of the large ballroom. 

A tug at the bottom his dress robe sends Sho sighing at the presence next to him. “You’re stepping on my robe.”

“Oops,” Nino chuckles as he steps away to stand next to Sho. “I see you’re being fashionably late, Sho-chan.”

“And I see you’re here early,” Sho says with a smile as he takes a small sip of his water and winces over its blandness. 

Nino bumps lightly into Sho’s side, his voice a tad more cheerful than usual. “But then I already finished both my Appearance and Chats assignment. I’m done for tonight.”

Appearance is the Ministry employee obligatory appearance and interaction with their direct supervisor in official party setting. It is norm for them to be in their full fancy wizards suit and witch party gowns. Chat on the other hand means, in essence, forced socializing. Division heads and direct supervisors set a socializing list in charts based on the employees’ basic data. All attendees will be obligated to complete their Appearance and Chat assignment before the Yule Ball is ending.

Aside from needing to take extra time to charm his hair, Sho actually enjoys attending Ministry events. He knows what he needs to do good Appearance and Chat assignment could be enlightening sometimes. Yet, tonight he wants nothing but to stay back at his warm office and finish his subdivision annual report. With his calculation, he’d manage to finish it ahead schedule barring enough focus and determination. Then, he can take his sweet time completely off duty, with extra days after the long weekend. However, he has no choice but to duly attend the Ball even if as Nino has said he’s being fashionably late.

“I could’ve finished my _real_ work if I didn’t have to be here,” Sho says with a sigh.

“There’s work, and there’s work. Both are just work, the sooner you deal with it the sooner you’d be done with it.”

Sho has to turn at the cheery tone and takes a good look of Nino. There’s a tinge of pink on his cheeks, and even then, Nino looks too comfortable than he usually is during events like this. “You’re already tipsy so early in the night?”

Nino was about to give a quick retort when an announcement comes from the direction for the stage. A moment, and Sho catches sight of magick flashes from the left side of the room—must be the Ball committee working on some technical stuff, before a bump on his side from Nino brings him back to the conversation. 

“I’m not tipsy. Just a bit excited,” Nino says with a smile. “By the way, Ryoko-san has been asking for you. She’s on the left side of the room.”

“And she has my assignment and my seat number.”

“Of course,” Nino says with a chuckle before he’s leaning toward Sho with a softer voice. “I did try to get them for you, but she didn’t buy my reasoning. She knows you’re trying to pull overtime.”

“I’m sure you’ve really tried.” Sho says, bumping his shoulder at Nino with a smile. At least Nino always understands.

“I sure did,” Nino says, “And that’s why I’m all excused, and am heading home right now.”

“Nino—“

“Sorry, Sho-chan. My work here is done and my couch at home is already missing me.” 

“Nino—“

“I’ll see you next Tuesday. Have fun tonight,” Nino says as he gives Sho a loose hug. “And, Sho-chan?”

“Yeah?”

“Have fun tonight.”

“You said that already”

“Our subdivision annual report is not due till next week. Take your time, and, really, have _fun_.”

“Huh?”

Nino gives him a two-finger salute before quickly turns and heads toward the entrance before Sho can say anything else.

Finishing his drink and steeling himself for the inevitable, Sho finally steps further into the ballroom, and already finding several of his colleagues here and there following the tradition and instruction to the dot. He should really find Ryoko-san, making his presence known, and probably with some luck he’d be able to leave the Ball after dinner speeches are done. 

He finds his boss around one corner, talking to what he recognized as an official from the International Office. Sho bids his time, standing idly nearby, and waits.

Ryoko-san catches him in less than a minute, giving Sho a short nods. Before long she seamlessly retreated herself from the conversation and greets Sho. “It’s nice to see that you made it tonight, Sho-kun. I’m beginning to worry.”

“Ryoko-san, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Yes, you would. Even for an unnecessary overtime,” she says with a knowing grin. “But you’re here and I have your Chat assignment and seating arrangement for tonight.”

“May I?” Sho gives a quick bow. “I’m eager to get to work immediately.”

“If I’m slightly evil and you are a lousy staff, I would withhold your assignments just because you’re being sarcastic tonight.”

“Please don’t. I really want to finish the work,” Sho says, only with slight worry because he knows Ryoko-san will not do that—Sho’s her favorite being the most diligent and effective staff at the office only to be rivaled by Nino, but he can never be sure with her.

She smiles. “I know you do, that’s the problem. Just get this Ball over with, Sho-kun. That report is not due till later.”

“I am fully aware, Ryoko-san, but—“

“You’re in table QS20T,” she cuts Sho’s explanation with a wave of wand, producing a small invitation parchment on her waiting palm. “Your Chat assignments are also written in there.”

Sho takes the parchment and taps it with his own wand. Little dots appear to show Sho where in the ballroom his Chats assignments are. Sighing in relief at the only two dots—instead of four like he had predicted; Ryoko-san could be mean sometimes, Sho nods at Ryoko-san. “Thank you.”

“Full assignment report properly owled to me by Tuesday,” she reminds Sho. “Other than that I expect you to not return to the office tonight, Sho-kun.”

“Ryoko-san,” Sho says with a small smile. “All I want to do is to finish my subdivision report in peace.”

Ryoko-san laughs at that. “That’s what you said now. Who knows you’d find someone gorgeous later. Who knows what this boring party will bring. Have a little fun, Sho-kun. Remember it’s the holidays.”

“The holidays with upcoming storm coming tomorrow so we cannot go anywhere warmer,” Sho says before he recognizes the warning glint on Ryoko-san’s eyes. Perhaps there’s enough sarcasm for tonight. “Very well. I’ll try to have fun tonight.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll head over to find my assignments,” Sho says as he bows and he takes a step back and resigns to just do his work at this Ball tonight. “Have a good night, Ryoko-san.”

She takes a glass of sparkling water from the passing waiter and gives Sho a salute, which is annoyingly similar to Nino. “Oh, I already am.”

 

*

 

Sho taps his wand on his invitation parchment, and two names appear; the first one he recognized, Abe-san from Broom Regulatory Control Division. His wand tells him the man is only two tables away from where he is standing right now. He puts on his work face best, squares his shoulders, and heads into the direction. He finds Abe-san without difficulty over the snack bar, and feeling extremely grateful as Abe-san is already waiting for him knowing from his assignments too. They talk, exchange contact for further inquiries next week; and Sho is grateful that he doesn’t need to do more than just few minutes. 

His second, and last—Sho reminds himself to properly thank Ryoko-san later for this, Chat assignment is Toda-chan, a new recruited witch from Archive Division for Department of Magickal Transportation. Toda-chan is the one who managed to seek Sho, and finds him along with Abe. At the very least, Sho doesn’t want to make her even more nervous, so they end up talking, the three of them. Toda-chan is slowly growing more comfortable and Abe-san seemed charmed by her enthusiasm, leaving Sho relieved since that means he’s smoothly finished his Chat assignment.

Another announcement from the stage signals everyone to start to get to the assigned seat; the main event will start soon. Sho sighs in relief, sharing a laugh with Abe-san and Toda-chan when they also do the similar gesture. Sho really owes them a drink, so he suggests that they should find a time where they could get something after work. And after their mutual agreement, they part ways to get to their assigned seats.

The emcee has already starting the introduction albeit man people are still rushing to get to their assigned seat; Sho follows his wand direction carefully. He finds the number for his seat on near corner table at the west wing just in time as the light dims. The people seated at the same table nod their greeting to Sho—Sho recognized Yoshitaka, from Staff Support Division looking politely bored across his seat; Yamada-san, one of the senior staff from the Patent Office, not even trying to look cheerful, fidgeting in his seat impatiently; and Sasaki-san, a seasoned lawyer from Magickal Trading Body, one that Sho only had met twice in large inter-departmental meetings. 

The main hall lights dim and the first speech begins, but the seat at Sho’s left remains empty.

Sho glances at the vacant chair and smiles in amusement. Someone is skiving off their attendance obligation; what a brave soul. Only a solid life-or-death related excuse is acceptable in order to avoid attending this boring event, however centuries of tradition has also perfected the measures taken and penalties given by supervisors to make sure everyone duly attends the event. 

Sho politely and timely claps his hands, even as he begins to space out, when the first Minister on the stand cue the crowd to congratulate some achievement of a division of a department Sho doesn’t catch on. 

Swirls of dress robe and soft sigh of breaths startle Sho and the next moment the seat next to him is occupied. The man now sitting next to him radiates impatience, and somehow smells like coffee and expensive cologne. Eyes still fixed at the stage, Sho claps his hand politely again when the first Minister finishes his speech, signaling to the next speaker after him to continue with the next theme.

Sho turns slightly to his left, planning to give a short nod of greeting since they are going to be seated at the same table for the next hour, and is utterly spellbound.

It’s Matsumoto Jun.

It’s Matsumoto Jun, the high profile public face of Auror Headquarters, the star of Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and the man Sho has been fancying for a long while.

It’s Matsumoto Jun, sitting next to him with his leg crossed, posture straight and eyes fixed to the direction of the stage. He is dressed in a fancy suit—an appearance Sho has never seen from Matsumoto, his long dress robe pooled around him elegantly, and his chin slightly raised in a soft challenge, making him appearing to be mildly annoyed at the boring speech but still seem to hold his precious attention to the whole proceeding.

Sho has to remind himself to breathe, forcing himself to blink several times out of disbelief, before finally pulling himself together and turning back to keep his eyes on the stage in a slight daze.

It’s Matsumoto Jun, Sho repeats again in his mind, feeling his heart beating slight faster and his palm beginning to sweat. 

Sho’s department handles projects and press releases of the whole Ministry, and among others many collaborative presentations with the Auror Headquarter. Their Chief, an enigmatic wizard called Ohno Satoshi, is usually the one handling the short meeting with Ryoko-san and always agreeable to any suggestion made by the department. Sho has always wanted an opportunity to work with other people from Auror Headquarter, or more like with the Matsumoto, curious of how it would be like to be discussing the current affairs, to be standing next to each other during press conference as representative of the Ministry, or simply to be able to admire the coolness in closer distance.

Sho has caught glimpses Matsumoto and his team during interdepartmental meeting often, always seated far on the other side of the meeting room. Office rumor has been one of the main sources of his information—after all his department handles the official news and everyone makes it their mission to know more about brilliant and respected employees of the Ministry. 

Matsumoto has joined the Ministry at such a young age, being one of the top graduates of his class few years after Sho graduated. Rumor has it that Matsumoto was close to the previous Chief and received many favorable opportunities to gain promotion—Sho then found it wasn’t exactly true since Matsumoto had been taking workshops and extra trainings to gain his mastery. Matsumoto is said to be displaying exemplary leadership qualities and has been one of the valuable field team leader—this is, Sho has confirmed by asking Chief Ohno himself one day, true. It is said that Matsumoto is to be the one who will replace Ohno as the Chief of Auror Headquarter when the time comes.

Yet now that Matsumoto Jun is sitting next to him, Sho doesn’t know what to do with himself. He has felt attraction toward Matsumoto for the longest time. He really wants to find out more about Matsumoto although so far he took no action to pursue even the slightest possibility. Sho has been watching the man closely and with gradually increasing interests; Matsumoto is charming and attractive. He appears sometimes with hints of aloofness, especially during large meetings. At other time, since Sho kept his attention to the man after those large meetings, he seems kind and warm toward his closest colleagues and friends.

There’s another cue for applause as the second—or was it the third, Sho has completely zoned out—Minister bows after the speech and Sho dazedly claps, feeling his damp palms and in reflex swiping them onto his thighs after. 

The ballroom returns to him and on the next moment he cannot help the temptation to turn to his left; after all Sho begins to see there’s no point in avoiding the inevitable. He’s going to be seated here for at least the next hour. Sho then catches Matsumoto’s glancing straight at him, head tilting in reserved curiosity and greeting Sho with a polite nod.

Sho feels his breath hitched slightly; a polite nod in this proximity is completely different from the ones he once received from across the meeting room. He nervously run his sweaty palms against his thighs again and offers a small smile in return. 

And then Matsumoto Jun replies with a smile. 

What? 

Oh. Well. 

There goes, Sho feels warmth rising onto his cheeks and he could only blink in astonishment.

The ballroom light abruptly goes back on since the speech session is apparently done. Soft string music from the small orchestra begins and fleet of servers emerges from the side doors to start serving the first course. 

Sho shifts in his seat, trying to fight the embarrassment he brought upon himself. Matsumoto is sitting next to him and he should really use this rare chance to strike up a conversation.

Matsumoto beats him into it, though.

“Mr Sakurai Sho,” he says, voice soft and velvety, still looking at Sho’s direction with that smile. “It’s good to see you tonight.”

“Likewise, Mr Matsumoto Jun,” Sho answers in reflex, before turning his gaze away and looking down to his lap to hide his flush.

Matsumoto lets out cute chuckles and Sho has to raise his head again to meet his gaze. If he wasn’t charmed before, he is now. 

“I apologize. I was just joking with the formality,” Matsumoto says with a smile. “This event is too extreme for its own good, making everyone nervous for no reason.”

“It’s okay.” I’m nervous because of you, Sho wants to add, but he decides against it. Matsumoto doesn’t need him to suddenly be declaring his feelings. He says instead. “I’m just surprised.”

“By?”

Sho tries hard to stomp his own nervousness. It’s just a dinner party, and if he is getting a chance to converse with the Matsumoto Jun, he should really pull himself together and get on with it. So he decides to just go along with what his mind tells him: that is to be honest. If Matsumoto has any problem with his honesty, Sho is sure that he will be the first to know. At the very least, Sho needs to try.

He says, his gaze straight into Matsumoto’s eyes. “You.”

Matsumoto’s eyes change in the most beautiful way at Sho’s admission; the sharp and curious stare turns into pools of warmth, and his mouth forming a sweet smile. “Why thank you.”

“I mean by your being here seated next to me,” Sho quickly explains, even though he knows that Matsumoto must have caught his implication the first perfectly. “Sure it’s what the seating arrangement means, of course, but I wasn’t expecting, well, _you_. A surprise.“

Matsumoto’s smile widens and without taking his gaze off of Sho, he says, “I do hope at least it’s a pleasant one?”

“It is,” Sho says with a sure nod. “A pleasant surprise.”

“I get you. I usually don’t like surprises, but—“ Matsumoto gives a moment of pause before he continues, his smile never wavered. “I have to say finding my seat to be next to you is also a surprise, Sho-san. A very pleasant one.”

Sho has to look away again because he’s positive that his face is burning red out of happiness. And to hear Matsumoto Jun said his name brings pleasant flutters into his chest, sending his heart racing, and once again Sho has to wipe his sweaty palm on his thighs. 

Their table server finally arrives with first course, setting a wide and shallow bowl with a flanged rim in front of Sho and the others in his table, filled with some sort of brown concoction. Sho frowns at the content of his soup bowl. He knows that the annual Yule Ball serves questionable food but it was rarely to this extent. 

“ _Consommé_ , they say here in the menu,” Matsumoto says. He has the same frown on his face as he tilts the bowl a little to get a closer look. 

“It looks fishy,” Sho murmurs, now leaning forward to take a sniff finding the soup suspiciously odorless.

“It does.” Matsumoto says with a quiet laugh. He picks up the spoon and dips the tip of it onto the soup. He takes a careful lick—slightly messing with Sho’s mind because Matsumoto Jun is next to him licking spoon—before he turns to Sho with a wince. “No.”

Sho turns to stare at his bowl and steels himself to have a spoonful. The soup is, to put it quite mildly, tasteless. He looks around the table for salt or pepper or anything, and finds nothing.

“Even extra salt and pepper won’t be much of help,” Matsumoto says as he focuses on his piece of bread roll. “I think it’s better to stay with the bread. At least it tastes like a normal bread.”

“I wonder every year why they don’t even try to serve something that at least look edible,” Sho sighs, momentarily forgetting this nervousness. “We are here attending this every year and they could’ve tried a tad harder.”

Matsumoto lets out a chuckle, and Sho’s nervousness returns. He doesn't mean to voice his complaints so openly, even if it is not a secret that every one in the Ministry is bored out of their minds every year for tradition. But he’s speaking with Matsumoto Jun for the first time, and Sho doesn’t think that grousing about the event is something that will work in his favor.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Matsumoto says with a laugh, and slightly making Sho feels better. “I’m still not going to touch this soup again.”

Sho laughs and feels even more at ease. As he tries to at the very least show courtesy for the food—because the food is not to blame, Sho manages to continue conversing with Matsumoto, bringing up their past short encounters at meeting room and even sharing story of Sho’s recent mishaps with his Clearance Card which had caused short fuss in his department. Sho finds that Matsumoto is an attentive listener who is also keen in discussing bits of his recent project in the Auror Headquarters, a campaign for a streamlined safety measures against dark magick.

The table server returns to their table to take their soup bowls. Another server, this one looking slightly apologetic, sets the main course plate in front of them before leaving them both staring at the plate in puzzlement. 

“The menu said roast sirloin of beef forestière,” Sho mumbles after checking the standing menu in the middle of the table. “But—“

“I can’t believe this,” Matsumoto sighs as he pokes the terribly charred slices of beef in disgust. “This is another level of disrespect, all the way down of the food chain to the cows.”

Sho laughs at the serious insult, but as he looked up to see other’s reaction, he finds similar puzzlement from Yamada and Yoshitaka who are also frowning over their plate, and even from some of the others on the next table. He returns his eyes over the plate; the unsalvageable meat and its sad vegetable companion. “I basically eat anything but I don’t think I can’t eat this.”

Matsumoto turns to Sho, his voice serious with genuine concern. “You don’t have to.”

“The cows are not to blame,” Sho says absently as he picks up his knife and fork. Feeling brave and out of courtesy despite Matsumoto’s warning, Sho cuts a tiny bit of beef and valiantly takes a bite. It tastes like charcoal with rubber texture, and he has to close his eyes to prevent him from spewing it back out. 

A warm palm is rubbing Sho’s upper arm soothingly but Sho is too focused to just get the chunk of meat swallowed down. He finally manages to swallow and opens his eyes to find Matsumoto staring at him with mixed worry and amusement. 

“Are you trying to prove a point or something?”

“I don’t think I can eat this,” Sho says as he points to the plate.

Matsumoto smiles as he nods, his hand continued to give comforting rub on Sho’s arm. “You said that already. And you really don’t have to.”

Sho sighs audibly, hunger and disappointment over food overtaken his mind completely. “I am starving and just want to have dinner. Preferably something edible if not tasty.”

“Do you want to grab something definitely edible and tasty somewhere after this then?” Matsumoto slides his palm down Sho’s hand—he hasn't let go, Sho belatedly realized—ending up in gripping Sho’s elbow slightly tighter, letting Sho know his intent quite clearly. 

Sho blinks in surprise.

Matsumoto Jun has just asked him out for dinner. Tonight? After this godforsaken party, to continue seated next to each other but with better food arrangement?

He stays silent for a long moment and considers; it feels somehow liberating to realize that he’s about to make a spontaneous decision without having to consult his work schedule notes. There’s no pressing work if Sho’s honest with himself, everything can wait and he doubt that anything will come up during the holidays. It would be a freezing weekend and Sho can already see him sleeping his day off away with the warm knowledge that he had dinner with Matsumoto Jun. On a second thought, dinner with Matsumoto Jun will definitely be worth the setback—if any—that he’s going to deal with come Tuesday. Sho finally says, “That’s an interesting offer.”

“I was hoping it would be.” Matsumoto only smiles, as if he has been waiting for this moment to come before them. “I’m interested after all, Sho-san.” 

Sho outright blushes at the open and straightforward declaration, and even though he knew Matsumoto must have caught the sight, he turns away and looks down on his lap again finding his hands clutching tightly at his knees.

“Or you have had another plan?” Matsumoto asks again, this time his voice is not as sure as it was before.

“Not necessary a plan,” Sho says, gradually realizing that Matsumoto might not seem as confident as he appears to be. 

Perhaps Sho could be honest from the start. Something from their exchanges in the past hour tells him that honesty works better between them. He doesn’t have to be overly polite or put up a cool appearance at the expense of harming his image. There’s no image to begin with; he’s been himself from the beginning—nervous and helplessly affected; and Matsumoto appears to be the same. Sho adds an explanation, “I was thinking of going back to my office and finish work.”

Matsumoto lets out a chuckle. “They made you come here even before you finished your work? As expected of Ryoko-san, the iron lady, always a stickler when it comes to work.” 

Somehow Sho feels warm for Matsumoto’s first reaction was not commenting on his plan to do overtime but to believe in Sho and siding with him, even at the expense of Ryoko-san’s reputation. He feels like he was right in deciding that he doesn’t have to be overly polite with Matsumoto and just be himself. “Well, to be honest with you, I kind of brought it upon myself.”

Matsumoto raises his eyebrows and waits for Sho to continue.

“I dislike large party like this. Not that I mind the opportunity to meet other employee, I actually like the assignments and meeting other people and sharing stories about other department. But the ennui is sometimes too much, and especially tonight, the terrible food is inexcusable.”

Matsumoto hums his agreement. 

And Sho continues with slightly more fervor, “We are practically wasting hours tonight, and they didn’t even serve proper meal. And to think that this happens every year only for the sake of tradition? If only the higher ups would listen to fresh ideas of the younger wizards and witches, they could’ve come up with much more effective and pleasant alternatives.”

Matsumoto smiles at the last bit of Sho’s heated dissatisfaction and, this time, nods his agreement firmly. “That would have made a very strong release statement.”

Sho only shakes his head. “I’m just easily irritated when I’m hungry.”

“Don’t we all?” Matsumoto says with an easy shrug. “I know a place that doesn’t serve French cuisine.”

Sho laughs at that. “Yes, please. I don't think I can handle another French dish tonight.”

“Very well. Any specific preferences?”

The answer is easy. “As long as there’s dessert, preferably with variety of alcoholic beverages;”

Matsumoto makes a gesture of taking air notes before nodding at Sho. “That can be easily arranged.”

“You read my mind perfectly,” Sho says with a smile.

This time, Matsumoto blinks in surprise. 

Sho might be just an ordinary office wizard but he knows his way around Advance Defensive Magick. He also knows how to read people’s reactions and deal with them. He knows somehow he hits a point with his casual statement, especially since Matsumoto is slowly letting go of Sho’s elbow—he hasn’t let go so far; his grip has been somehow grounding, Sho has already grown comfortable with the touch—a little bit too abruptly. “You can read minds? My mind?”

Matsumoto covers his face with his hands—cutely, at that, Sho has to admit—as he shakes his head. “Despite whatever said about me, I cannot read people’s minds.”

“It’s not that, you were—“

Matsumoto pulls down his hand from his face, and one hand reaches back to take hold of Sho’s elbow, this time with much more careful and lighter grip. “Labeling the practice as mind reading would be a naïve take. I don’t read minds. I read _intentions_. That’s entirely different.”

“I don’t understand,” Sho says with a frown. This is a new side of Matsumoto he has never expected to know. Being a powerful wizard that he is, Matsumoto is bound to have many magick skill sets. Yet Sho has never heard about this one—not from Matsumoto’s file or even the office rumors. “So you know what I am about to say before I even say it?”

“I don’t,” Matsumoto says in a firm tone. “I merely read your intention to say something, therefore I can respond faster. I did sense some uneasiness from you before so I was trying to help you to voice your thoughts and save you, and me, from the unnecessary awkwardness.”

Sho has to agree with Matsumoto on that point; he has been kindly receptive tonight, helping Sho overcoming his initial nervousness—and where did they end up now? A promising dinner date afterward, with a hint of something more. A kind companion during this boring ordeal. Sho is—now that he seriously giving it a thought—more than grateful.

But then again, Sho frowns at Matsumoto with a slight worry, would it be a tad too much?

“Sho-san,” Matsumoto says with a sigh. “For the last time, I don’t read mind. I can only sense intention since I am not incanting any spells.”

Sho squints in playful display of disbelief. “Really?” 

“It’s more like a feeling of what you’re going to do next.”

“So, it was just feeling?”

“Feeling,” Matsumoto repeats firmly before he realizes that Sho is now only trying to tease him. He squints back at Sho in a much more serious way. “I certainly don’t remember you being this playful.”

“I’m usually not. I’m just hungry.”

Matsumoto laughs this time, and once again things are smooth between them. “That’s the second time you brought it up. If I don’t know better I’d be violate dozens of official codes and just feed you already.”

“Very straightforward,” Sho says with a grin. He then deliberately projects his understanding, subtly trying to let Matsumoto that he should not worry about having to explain further to Sho about his skills.

“It saves time to go straight to the point,” Matsumoto replies before he closes his eyes and smiles. The hand on Sho’s elbow tightens slightly and the soft whisper barely reaches Sho’s ear but both effectively letting Sho know that he’s extremely grateful for the consideration. “Thank you.”

 

*

 

Together they endure the last of the ennui and next dish—something that looks suspiciously too yellow to be called Waldorf Pudding for dessert, and bland coffee serving. By the end of the hour attendees are getting restless, mostly eager to leave the place and be done with the Ball. Relief is apparent when the emcee begins to read the closing notes, several people taking the cue to start preparing themselves to leave the party.

In silent agreement, they don’t join the first rush of crowd trying to leave the ballroom right after the emcee officially ends the event. Instead they take their time, walking side by side, as they proceed to the exit. 

Matsumoto turns to Sho in apparent excitement as they reach the nearest exit. “Shall we then?”

To Sho it sounds like Matsumoto asking for confirmation. Are we really going to do this or not? Are you sure? And Sho already knows his answer even before he says, “After you.”

Matsumoto smiles sweetly at him and Sho cannot wait for the night to begin with only the two of them. 

They head to the entrance, joining the rapidly moving queue. People are very quickly trying to get to the Apparate Point outside and leave the Ball immediately. Sho tries to find familiar faces of Nino, or perhaps Ryoko-san but finds none of them in sight. Next to him, Matsumoto moves along with the queue swiftly. 

Only after they reach the end of the line Matsumoto turns to him as he seems to have just remembered something when they reach the end of the queue. “This place, it’s a bit complicated to reach.”

“I understand,” Sho says, taking a step forward and giving the consent Matsumoto is implicitly asking. He really doesn’t want to deal with wrong address tonight. “I’ll leave the direction to you.”

The Officer gives them a go ahead for them to have their turn. Matsumoto smiles, his hand outreached slightly toward Sho. “Very well. Pardon me then.”

Pardon you for what, Sho is just about to ask, when Matsumoto closes their distance and swiftly loops one of his arms around Sho’s waist. His grip is strong, pressing their bodies securely against each other. The next second, everything goes black and the familiar pressure of apparating causes Sho to clutch firmly at Matsumoto’s strong shoulder in reflex. 

He and Matsumoto arrive at a middle of a dim alley. Sho catches sight of a passing car—perhaps it’s a muggle area—before he realizes that he is pressed against a wall and Matsumoto still hasn’t let go of his firm hold. 

The air between them is thick and warm even as Sho feels the winter night wind stronger around them. Matsumoto is standing so close to him, his firm solid body against Sho’s, his puffs of breath hitting Sho’s cheek.

Sho could blame it on the thrill of Apparating or even on the relief now that they are done with their dull obligation of attending the Ball, but at the end of it, Sho just wants. He finds Matsumoto’s eyes fixed on his, head tilted slightly, waiting for Sho to take what he wants.

He feels bold, free, longing for something he doesn’t even dare to dream, for someone now so close.

“Pardon me,” Sho says this time as one of his hands takes gentle hold of Matsumoto’s cold cheek. He leans closer, hearing Matsumoto sucks deep breath, and drops a quick peck on the mouth that has been smiling kindly at him at night.

Pleasant shivers run in Sho’s body when Matsumoto sighs against Sho’s lips. Sho drops another peck, and another, and another, wanting nothing but savoring the sensation they share, making promises for the night. If only they are not in the middle of a dark alley Sho would have done more, want more, but dinner should really go first. 

“Sho-san,” Matsumoto sighs softly, his lashes fanning beautifully as he closes his eyes. 

Sho really likes how Matsumoto keeps calling his name, his voice making a swish sound falling out of his lips as he pronounces Sho’s name. He smiles as he hums his answer. “Mhmm?”

“You’re welcome.”

Sho laughs at that, his body shaking with elation. It’s his first real laugh of the night, heck, perhaps of the day, and it feels good to laugh with Matsumoto. “Well. You promised food.”

“I did,” Matsumoto says, his eyes still closed. “We need to go somewhere warm before the night freezes our ass off.”

Sho hums his answer again but makes no moves to loosen his hold on Matsumoto. 

Matsumoto finally opens his eyes and at this distance Sho can see up close what he has been missing during the Ball; the open curiosity and the kind understanding reflected on Matsumoto’s gaze. Sho wants to get lost in those beautiful eyes.

“You would have to let me go so we can get going.”

The night is still young, Sho reminds himself, and they really need to get to somewhere warmer. He finally loosens his hold around Matsumoto’s shoulder, before resting both his hand against Matsumoto’s solid chest. At the realization that Matsumoto doesn’t also make any effort to loosen his arms around Sho’s waist, he smiles widely. “There. You also have to do the same though or we’re really going to be here all night.”

“So you can be playful,” Matsumoto says with a chuckle. He gives them both a few silent second before slowly letting his hold around Sho go. He then proffers his hand for Sho to take before leading them to the street and making a right turn.

They are in a muggle area, Sho’s guess appeared to be spot on, and Matsumoto stops in front of a nondescript building around the corner. They climb to the second floor and Matsumoto taps a door with his wand only to have the door sliding open soundlessly.

A witch with a wide smile welcomes them into a spare reception area. She bows politely at them and greets, “Matsujun-sama, welcome.”

Matsumoto bows his greeting. “Good evening, Akane-san.”

The familiarity surprises Sho but he doesn’t comment, following Matsumoto’s example nodding back politely. 

“We have your reserved booth ready, Sirs,” she says as she gestures them to step further in. “If you just follow me.”

She escorts them to a private booth at the end of a dim-lit hallway. Sho takes the hint and settles at the far right seat. He cannot hold his smile as Matsumoto takes a seat next to him instead of in front of him, staying close by his side. 

“We’d like to order immediately,” Matsumoto says to Akane before turning to Sho. “Anything in particular you like to partake tonight? Here they have impressive range of assorted edible _and_ tasty nabe sets.”

“I basically eat anything,” Sho says. He smiles in appreciation for Matsumoto’s reference to their earlier conversation. “I can eat anything at this point.” 

“You can’t,” Matsumoto says with chuckles, head shaking in amusement. He then turns to Akane-san, asking for today’s special, adding more side dishes, and agreeing with the last of Akane-san’s recommendation.

In less than 10 minutes, Sho is holding his hot teacup feeling warm and excited watching Akane-san arranging large nabe pot on the table with a swish of her wand. Plates of side dishes are floating and landing neatly around it. Everything smells amazing, and Sho’s itching to grab his chopsticks. 

It would be quicker to just charm their bowls to serve a portion but Matsumoto apparently has different plan. He lifts the lid of the pot to check whether everything has simmered properly, allowing delicious fragrant of the broth to waft on their booth. 

Sho could not contain his soft moan, his hunger returned to hit him full force. 

Matsumoto doesn’t comment this time. His utmost focus is on the pot before he silently reaches for a bowl, He begins to fill it generously with strips of meat and vegetable and pours generous amount of broth into it. He then turns to Sho with the ready bowl, and smiles. “Here you go.”

Sho is out of his depth. It was very kind of Matsumoto to do, something beyond his own expectation, then his stomach is betraying him again. He receives the proffered bowl with a small bow, mouth already salivating at the sight of neatly arranged bowl. “It looks so good.”

“Go ahead,” Matsumoto says before picking up another bowl for himself. “Their special broth is heavenly,”

Impatient, Sho quickly murmurs his grace and takes a first sip of the hot broth, and moans shamelessly. 

Matsumoto was right, the broth tastes heavenly. Heat spreads in his mouth, pleasant warmth calmed his stomach instantly. Sho takes another sip, reveling in the intensifying sensation when flavor bursts thoroughly in his mouth. He picks up his chopsticks absently, and this time he takes another sip of broth first before gobbling a large strip of beef wrapped in Chinese cabbage. 

The beef strip is too large, the cabbage leaf scalding his tongue, and Sho has to try huffing his breath through his full mouth to cool off a little bit. Yet it doesn’t stop him to quickly chew and swallow everything only to continue devouring the entire bowl in a mere minute. 

Sho sighs in delight, putting down his bowl and trying to calm himself. He lifts his head, absently licking smears of broth on the corner of his shiny lips, and meets Matsumoto’s stare. The man has his untouched steaming bowl in front of him and is watching Sho intently.

“Do you always eat like that?” Matsumoto asks, apparent amusement in his tone. 

“Yes,” Sho finds himself answering in all honesty. Along the night the idea that he is sharing dinner with the Matsumoto Jun, that they have been conversing closely throughout and reaching out to for reassuring touches, has settled nicely in his mind, and Sho doesn’t want to shy away from the possibility of more by pretending something that he’s not.

Still he feels a flush rising on his cheeks, one he’s definitely blaming the heat from nabe for. “Well, not all the time, but—”

“I’m definitely taking you out for dinner again,” Matsumoto says with a grin. He then holds his hand out to ask for Sho’s empty bowl. 

Sho hesitates a bit. “You don’t have to—“

“I need to wait for my food to cool down a bit anyway.” Matsumoto then leans forward and takes Sho’s empty bowl to scoop another serving. 

Sho can appreciate more of the dish by his next bowls. The beef strips must be top grade for they are succulent and juicy, even more now that they simmer longer in the pot. Matsumoto adds more vegetables and the fresh ones have different texture with the first, resulting in perfect balance of crunchiness. 

Sho startles out of his heavenly food daze when he feels Matsumoto touches his stuffed left cheek softly. “What’s your hurry, really?”

Sho can only nod, letting out a mumbled thank you with his mouth full. 

Matsumoto chuckles at the sight. “It’s a cute look on you but we have all the time now. We can get more if you want.”

“Okay,” Sho manages to say now that he swallows half of the food in his mouth. He repeats himself and tells himself to take things slower. “Okay.”

And by his fifth bowl Sho’s feeling like himself again; he realizes that the cold has made him giddy with hunger before and now that he is partaking slower, alternating with the hot tea, the various side dishes, and good company, he cannot be more content.

Sho sees Matsumoto still slowly going through his meal. Unlike Sho, he’s only in his third bowl going in slow and comfortable pace. There’s something that has been bothering him since they got to the restaurant, and Sho ask, “How did you get a reservation ready anyway?” 

Matsumoto looks up from his bowl, taking his time to properly swallow everything and picking up his teacup for a sip before answering. “Actually, I was told to make a reservation beforehand.”

“Huh?” 

Matsumoto shrugs as he says, “My partner has been nagging me to make a reservation here for tonight since last week. I should’ve not fallen for such a cheap trick.”

“A trick?”

“And I thought you’ve known about this,” Matsumoto says with a smile. “Apparently not.”

Sho has to ask again. “Huh?”

Matsumoto pulls out a smartphone from the depth of his dress robe, a muggle smartphone, which is quite surprising because not many of wizards favor advanced muggle technology. Most prefer to stick into the traditional way of communication. Yet, the new generation is all over it. Matsumoto then slides his phone to Sho’s side. “Here.”

On the screen is a group photo; four people huddled up close together in a large embrace.

On the far left, Ryoko-san in a dumb expression with a peace sign in front of her face is pressed against Nino, who is grinning so wide that his eyes are closed with glee. Next to Nino is a handsome wizard Sho vaguely recognized but couldn’t remember the name of. And pressed close against the wizard is a higher up wizard—he’s wearing the head of department official uniform—with fluffy hair and cute round face. 

Sho knows that face, but he is not entirely sure. He tries to tap the screen to enlarge the image to get a closer look on the last wizard “Is that—?”

Matsumoto sighs next to him, “You know Ohno-san, my boss.”

“Ah,” Sho says, he should’ve known that the fluffy hair belongs to no other. “He looks completely different.”

“I take it you know the guy next to Aiba-kun?” Matsumoto says as he points to Nino on screen.

“Yeah,” Sho says with a nod. He begins to see how the night has been working. “That’s Nino, my office mate.”

Matsumoto sets his bowl aside and shrugs. “I’ve got to give it to them though. It was a good trick, albeit cheap. We’ve completely been had.”

Sho was about to ask further when Matsumoto turns to him. “Do you also happen to carry a smartphone?”

Sho nods. “I do.”

“And have you checked if there’s a new picture sent in the last few hours?”

Frowning, Sho shifts in his seat and rummages the pockets of his robe to find his smartphone. He remembers muting notification alerts for his messaging app before he goes to the ballroom--because he knows Nino or Ryoko-san would only bother him with work questions sooner or later. 

Next to him, Sho barely hears Matsumoto murmurs, “I’ll just prepare us a _zosui_.”

Sho takes his time scrolling through his social media updates to get to bottom of his inbox and find one new message from Nino. A few taps later, Sho is staring at the exact photo with the one Matsumoto has just shown him. While rolling his eyes silently, Sho examines the photo thoroughly and spots an additional message. He has to squint even after he zooms into the picture to read the messy scrawls.

“It has a message, on the right corner,” Sho says as he looks up and finding Matsumoto is already scooping a serving of steaming _zosui_ on Sho’s empty bowl. “Oh, thank you.”

Matsumoto nods before scooping a serving for himself. “Yeah. They think they’re so clever.” 

“Yours had a message too? What did it say?” Sho puts down his phone in favor of the _zosui_ , sighing at the sweet and divine taste on the first slurp. 

Matsumoto carefully puts down his bowl. He picks up his phone, tapping to enlarge his photo and reads: _“Delicious food is the sure way to Sho-chan’s heart. 120%!”_

Sho has to cover his mouth as he snorts in amusement. Well, it’s true but still, Nino could’ve been subtler. 

“At least they know what they’re talking about,” Matsumoto says with a grin. “What did yours say about me?”

Sho has to swallow first before he answers, amusement in his tone. “Your partner wrote: _‘Matsujun is a terrible drunk. Heads up!’_ ” 

“Oh, he’s a laugh riot,” Matsumoto says darkly. “I want to see if he can still laugh after I’m done rigging his fireplace so he’ll be Floo-ed away to the South Pole.”

Sho laughs at the intricate revenge plan. He picks up the soup ladle and gets himself another serving. “So, it’s Matsujun?” 

“Just a nickname that stuck.” Matsumoto is still slowly going through his bowl, shaking his head in disbelief. “How dare they pulled this on me,” Matsumoto says before correcting himself. “On us. And for tagging our bosses, I’ll definitely hex Aiba-kun sideways first before sending him to South Pole.”

Sho lets Matsumoto mumbles his intricate plan on which hexes he would do to Aiba, knowing that it was one of Matsumoto’s way of covering his surprise. At least Sho can understand that. He sighs contently when he finishes his bowl. He probably had a tad too much for dinner tonight but everything was delightful. He leans against his chair and let the comfortable silence linger for a while longer. 

Thoughts begin to roll in Sho’s mind: Nino has known about his crush on Matsumoto. Ryoko-san is not thick either. She must have picked up some hints from Nino and Sho’s banter—Sho wasn’t exactly being secretive, he just doesn't act on it. But with how things unraveled tonight, Sho cannot help to wonder further. Matsumoto’s partner and his boss are also in this. Which means that either Nino told him about his crush, or that Matsumoto is actually—

Wait a minute.

Sho turns to Matsumoto with a question ready on the tip of his tongue, but Matsumoto, who has finished his meal, has been waiting with a soft smile.

“I am not denying anything,” Matsumoto says with his eyes fixed on Sho’s, tone sure and calm.

There goes, that’s the mind reading again, Sho blinks in surprise. Not denying also means that Matsumoto acknowledges what the thoughts Sho’s been having. He has to clear his throat for his next question. This mind reading is a cool and all but it would be nice to hear Matsumoto’s direct answer, to hear a solid answer, if he also has been—

Matsumoto voices Sho’s question for him, “You wanted to ask if I’ve been having a crush on you.”

Sho nods.

“The answer is yes,” Matsumoto says with apparent conviction in his voice. “There.”

Sho beams and feels flush rising on his cheeks but he refuses to take his eyes off of Matsumoto this time. It’s still slightly hard to believe that his initial attraction is similar to Matsumoto’s but he likes this open and straightforward conversation. Matsumoto might still seem aloof at times but he’s also giving Sho clear openings and assurance. 

“And now you’re staring,” Matsumoto says with his raised eyebrows, amused.

“It’s hard not to.” The warmth nervousness returns but Sho faces it head on and he smiles wider when he catches a slight blush on Matsumoto’s pale cheeks this time. Sho decides to go with honesty again. “You— You’re beautiful.”

This time, Matsumoto is the one who breaks their gazes first, giggling cutely and ending up covering his face with his palms. 

Sho takes the sight in front of him with delight and at the same time makes a mental note to later try sneaking praises without warning to Matsumoto again in order to get a wonderful sight as this one. He scoots a bit closer to Matsumoto to keep his voice soft. “Also you promised me dessert.” 

Matsumoto still has a tinge of red on his cheeks when he drops his hand down slowly but his voice is steady. “That I did.”

Sho adds, “And I want cold beer.”

Matsumoto quickly nods in agreement, already reaching into his pocket to take his wand out and tap the server bell to place another order. But Sho is faster this time. He reaches out and takes a hold of Matsumoto’s elbow, a gesture mirroring what Matsumoto has been doing to him all night. 

In a low voice, he asks, “Or are we going to have something stiffer later somewhere tonight?”

Matsumoto stares at Sho for a full minute. Silence falls around them, and Sho can feel decisions being made between them, agreement wordlessly formed. Matsumoto is being careful but Sho is even more so. He wants to be sure. 

“I prefer us to be sober as we do this,” Matsumoto finally says. 

Sho wants to ask what Matsumoto means by _this_ , but he figures he can guess the answer. _This_ refers to them being together. 

“And _this_ will not be a simple one night stand.”

Sho smiles at the straightforwardness, as expected of Matsumoto. Clearly they both are on the same page, but still Sho takes in Matsumoto’s words carefully before he replies, fully understanding both the spoken and unspoken implications. “I don’t want it to be.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Are you?” 

“I am.” Matsumoto says as he stares intensely at Sho a little longer before his gaze melts into something warmer, something softer, something with affection. “Are _you_?”

“I am,” Sho says with full confidence. _This_ is not only about tonight, he repeats in his mind. _This_ is about so much more. He then nods firmly and with a smile says, “Is this what it’s gonna be like when we’re together?”

Together. 

That powerful word sounds amazing to Sho’s ears.

“Yes.” Matsumoto smiles brightly, confident and challenging and carefree and Sho wants to kiss him right here right now. “Yes, it is.”

 

*


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **ETA** : This one definitely was one of the hardest fics to write, ever. This week has been the hardest, and I’m beyond glad I managed to finish this one. I can only hope this chapter is not too muddled for my own good. Also, special mention to Perfume’s _Future Pop_ album, without which I wouldn’t have powerful distraction and be able to finish this fic. Warmest thank you, girls!

Matsumoto flat out refuses to take Sho’s offer of splitting the bill. Sho is not easily wavered and only agrees after he secured Matsumoto’s agreement: that Sho will definitely deal with the bill next time they eat out and that he will make sure to pick the fanciest place in order to cause a considerable dent in Sho’s wallet.

They walk back to the dark alley, and Sho realizes something basic about apparating; they don’t actually need to clutch each other so tight, grasping one’s arm normally does the trick. This time when Matsumoto proffers his hand, Sho only stares at it for a long second. “You know, we don’t actually need to—“

“We do,” Matsumoto says with a stubborn determination. He keeps his hand reached out waiting for Sho to take it. 

Sho still doesn’t believe Matsumoto even with the convincing serious stare, but he takes a step closer and puts his around Matsumoto’s shoulder and nods. “If you say so.”

Matsumoto rolls his eyes and in a moment they are disapparating away from the alley only to apparate in a narrow balcony. Sho feels Matsumoto’s grip around his waist tightens and he makes a grave mistake into looking behind him, finding vast Tokyo night sky and that they are at the very least ten stories high. 

“Fuck,” Sho breathes, gripping tighter as wind hits him harder, pressing closer to Matsumoto and clutching around his shoulder desperately.

“Hold still a bit,” Matsumoto says calmly, as if he has expected Sho to have such reaction, before tapping his wand into a hidden plate in complicated rhythm. The window beside them slides open. Still with Sho in his hold, Matsumoto steps in and taps another plate. A dim light illuminates a small entryway and before Sho knows it the window slides close and they are tucked safely inside.

Matsumoto loosens his grip around Sho and takes a step back. His face is flushed after being in the cold as he smiles at Sho. “I apologize for the dramatic landing. You’re okay?”

Sho could only nod. A sliver of fear still remains, but now that he’s in closed room and stable ground, he is a bit reassured. He takes a look around the small entryway, which seems like a normal house’s, until he feels a wave of magick swiping through his coat. It’s protective magick, Sho recognized, an old and powerful one.

“That’d be my Secrecy Sensory scans.”

When Sho turns to meet Matsumoto’s eyes, he finds the sharp cold look from earlier tonight, from the first hour of their encounter. “They are rather intense for house wards.”

“They supposed to let me know whether you have ill intent or any other devious plan against me.”

Sho only blinks. Auror is known for their tendency to be extremely cautious, even more so than ordinary wizard. Sho’s home has protective wards too but he never really experiences such strong surge of magick pulse only for a home protection.

“They will crush you to pieces if you as much as trying to smuggle homemade bombs or conceal yourself as a cute bunny to jinx me stupid.”

It’s not the last part of the sentence that gives it away, it’s the teasing sparkles Sho sees in Matsumoto’s eyes that are telling. Sho should have known by now that he should be ready for surprises. “You can’t make me go back to that balcony alone. You’d need to apparate me to the nearest station.” 

He pauses a moment before adding in softer but firm tone, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

“I’ll make sure I’ll hold tighter next time then,” Matsumoto laughs at first. He then punches Sho’s arm lightly before murmuring a soft, “You say the sweetest thing,” before turning back to face the hallway. 

Invisible wall ripples into life when he taps another hidden plate. With two flicks of wand, the ripples open a small passage for them to pass through. Matsumoto takes a step inside and gestures Sho to follow him. Right after Sho takes his step inside the ripples behind him closes back with a swish. 

“I’m home,” Matsumoto softly murmurs as he takes off his traveling coat. It takes him a few moments to realize that Sho is still standing still, fearful to prompt unnecessary ward spell. Matsumoto offers an apologetic smile as he reaches out to give Sho a reassuring rub against his arm. “It’s completely fine now that we’re inside. Let me take your coat.”

Sho complies and silently work on divesting his traveling coat and thanks Matsumoto softly.

Matsumoto turns to hang Sho’s coat in his coat rack bench. “No one without my permission can go here.”

“I feel so special,” Sho says teasingly with a laugh as he taps his dress robe coat to transfigure into a much more casual jacket.

He certainly doesn’t expect Matsumoto to reply, absently saying, “You kind of are. I don’t bring dates home.”

Sho beams in delight, his cheeks hurt a little bit from how wide he’s smiling. He doesn’t trust his voice now so he tries to project how grateful he is for the invitation as strong as he could possibly can. Matsumoto only take a quick glance at him, but Sho sees the small smile on his face and that is enough for him.

Matsumoto leads them inside, his wand waving right and left to turn on the room heating, the soft lights from various spots and corners shimmers alive.

Matsumoto’s living quarter is a large studio apartment. On the other side of the balcony wall, tall windows line up displaying the distant glittering lights over Tokyo night view. Despite the open spaces in the apartment and the icy cold of the outside world, the place is ensconced in warmth. It must be, Sho notices, some advanced magickal heating system. An old but comfortable looking couch is placed in the center of the living room with several low tables and low stacks of books surrounding them. 

“ _Mizuwari_? I have a bottle of fine firewhisky from Yamazaki,” Matsumoto offers as he rolls up his sleeves and swiftly walks to his kitchen. He gestures Sho to a pair of chairs next to the kitchen counter.

“Sounds good,” Sho says before he corrects himself in his mind. It sounds perfect actually, something mild yet warm them over. Matsumoto has said that he wants to stay sober for the night and Sho cannot agree more.

Two glasses land on the counter with a clunk when Matsumoto nods and waves his wand again. From his seat Sho watches Matsumoto, in full concentration, summoning his firewhisky bottle and starting the mix carefully. 

Again, now that he is settled in the warmth of Matsumoto’s home, Sho cannot help to feel a bit out of his depth. Everything revolves very fast tonight, and yet everything seems to work seamlessly. Sho could only hope that he still reads everything correctly and that he will not do anything stupid tonight. He really is interested in knowing more about Matsumoto, now that they are here in the same space for the night. 

“You’re staring again, Sho-san” Matsumoto says, this time his tone filled with amusement, even if his eyes are still fixed to the glasses.

“It’s immensely hard not to,” Sho says, repeating his remark since he remembers how Matsumoto reacted earlier and how he really likes how Matsumoto reacted to his honesty. He also adds. “Now that it’s just the two of us.”

Matsumoto gives a flourished clink on the glasses before slowly putting down his bar spoon. For a moment Sho thinks he will stay on the other side of the counter and just slide Sho’s glass in front of him. But he then meets Sho’s eyes with a new intensity, one Sho hasn’t seen tonight. He strides around the kitchen counter purposely toward where Sho’s sitting with the glasses in hand.

Sho’s reflex is to reach out to receive his glass while turning his body slightly to face Matsumoto, and Matsumoto reads his gesture perfectly. Instead of taking the seat next to Sho, Matsumoto sets both their glasses down, sliding Sho’s a bit farther on the smooth counter, and at the same time, stepping into the space between Sho’s legs smoothly. He smiles when he feels Sho’s hand loop around his waist automatically.

Matsumoto’s voice is soft and velvety when he finally speaks. “Yes. It’s just the two of us now. Finally.”

There’s a whole spacious apartment around them, yet there they are staying close to each other in a near embrace. Matsumoto is standing so close, his body warmth radiating, and his fixed intense stare at Sho maddening. Sho feels sweat forming against his palms as they loosely hold Matsumoto. His heart beats rhythmically faster and his cheeks feel like they are burning hot.

Sho likes it, welcoming the rush wholeheartedly.

Sho wants more and before he can speak up his wish Matsumoto’s warm palm slides up Sho’s mid thigh and rests there, establishing an additional touch of closeness. He then gestures at Sho’s glass with a nod, head tilting with invitation as he raises his glass. “Shall we?”

Sho nods, and finds himself already breathless with anticipation. He can only hope that his hand is steady as he takes his glass, giving it a light shake. He raises his glass and says, “To a good night.”

Matsumoto picks up his glass, clinks his with Sho’s, and smiles. “To a good _first_ night.”

Smile blooms on Sho’s face because Matsumoto did say it better.

They take a slow long sip, both unwilling to take their eyes off each other’s eyes. The smoky flavor hits Sho’s palate along with the familiar heavy and rich heat. Sho’s eyes flutters shut as he revels in the alcoholic burn afterward; he opens his eyes only to see Matsumoto wetting his lips.

Everything enfolds like molasses. Matsumoto sets his glass down, and smiles when Sho does the same. The hand on his thigh travels further up, and this time Sho knows what he wants to do—he slides his hand around Matsumoto’s waist, tugging the man closer and keeping him there.

His arm around Matsumoto then tightens, wanting them to press closer while his other hand carefully reaching up to touch Matsumoto’s face. Sho lets out a sigh; his hand framing Matsumoto’s warm cheek and prompting Matsumoto’s eyes to flutter close beautifully, and Sho really wants to kiss him. 

He’s leaning forward slightly to close their distance when he feels Matsumoto’s grip on his thigh tightens. He stops and sees that Matsumoto has his other hand pressed against Sho’s chest. He looks up and finds Matsumoto looking straight into his eyes.

“One thing,” Matsumoto says.

Anything. 

Anything, Sho is ready to say. Yet the seriousness and a sliver of unsureness that flitted across Matsumoto’s expression refrain Sho from quickly answering. Instead, he nods and waits for Matsumoto to say what’s on his mind.

“No magick.”

“Huh?” Sho frowns and blinks in confusion. What did Matsumoto mean by no magick? No magick in what? Now?

“I mean this.” Matsumoto slides his hand further up Sho’s thigh and brazenly cupping him. Sho can hear a pleased hum when he grunts, his eyes drifting shut in surprise. 

That feels good, Sho could only think. That feels fucking good already.

Matsumoto rubs his palm against Sho’s half hard cock for a few moments longer, coaxing more soft moans from Sho. “No magick.” A pause. “Just us.” 

Sho slowly opens his eyes, meeting Matsumoto’s, seeing the open request reflected in them. 

Centuries of magickal tradition have established ingrained belief that magick is simply given, taking magick in daily life for granted. Modern wizards and witches, mostly, prefer quick result, fast response, and most of the time meaningless achievement. No magick means recognizing the full worth of manual work, appreciating efforts, and in extension produce meaningful result.

Sho feels a renewed rush of hot affection, now fully understanding what Matsumoto is asking, what he is offering. 

This is not, as Matsumoto said earlier, just a kind of special. 

This _is_ special.

“Yes,” Sho softly says, trusting Matsumoto to read his intention further and know that Sho is more than agreeable to the request. “Just us.”

He leans forward to give a trial peck against the corner of Matsumoto lips. He feels Matsumoto pressing closer to him, his hands now slipping inside his jacket to take firm hold of him, sliding toward of his ass. He rubs one hand against Matsumoto’s back comfortingly, coaxing him to press closer, to open up for Sho.

He caress Matsumoto’s nape softly, his fingers threading the tips of Matsumoto’s hair, as he tilts his head to get better access of Matsumoto’s wet lips.

Sho’s mind is blazing with delight when he hears Matsumoto’s first moan against his lips, its sound going straight to his cock. Matsumoto’s hands find purchase on Sho’s ass, palm splayed before kneading it appreciatively. And it’s Sho’s turn to moan. He pulls Matsumoto with force to bring him even closer than they already are. Their breaths mingling, the air between them shared and consumed in short pulls--and feeling poured into their dizzying closeness.

Slowly but surely Sho’s earlier uncertainties, nervousness, and doubts melt away. He was so worried about not reading Matsumoto correctly; he knows now Matsumoto can read him just fine and is generous to be more than considerate. He was so nervous for reasons that now have been dissolved into nothing but silly thoughts. He was unsure of what tonight would bring him but Matsumoto apparently shared the same hesitance and have taken straightforward measure to make sure they both are on the same page.

Now they are here.

Now they are here, finally alone with binding promises. 

Now they are here, without magick, without anything else but closeness and shared passion. Just us, Matsumoto has said. Those powerful words reverberate in Sho’s mind, and it feels fucking amazing.

Sho gasps for an instant as he shifts to draw breath and feels Matsumoto’s tongue. His mind is spinning with lust when Matsumoto boldly licks the roof of his mouth. And in enthusiastic reciprocation, his fingers grasp a handful of Matsumoto’s hair and pull hard. When Sho leaned away, Matsumoto is breathless, his lips red and look swollen, his face flushed, looking so disheveled. Now that Sho wants more: “You’re not naked yet.”

Matsumoto grins, and with a clear challenge in his voice says, “That I am.”

Sho wets his lips, giving himself an extra push of courage. Trusting Matsumoto to keep him up straight and balanced, Sho lets go his grips around Matsumoto, alternating to hook his legs around Matsumoto’s. He plants both his now free hand on Matsumoto’s chest before sliding them up, enjoying the feel of solid muscle beneath and the small jolt of surprise from Matsumoto afterward. 

Still, he waits for Matsumoto to nod his consent before reaching to the collar of his dress robe. Matsumoto stills, only tilting his head up slightly when the tips of Sho’s fingers brushed his neck. And Sho unclasps Matsumoto’s dress robe straps in full concentration—puff of warm breath hitting his cheek as he goes—before pulling it off and letting it fall to the floor.

Matsumoto is now standing in front of him only in his button down white shirt, and Sho can only stare for a few long seconds. Matsumoto’s shirt collar is slightly opened, revealing the expanse of smooth skin and pale strong collarbone. Sho reaches to caress the side of Matsumoto’s neck gently, utterly fascinated at how his fingers are now touching the smoothness, at how Matsumoto’s eyes fluttered as he breathes in sharply, at how he finds mark, after mark, after mark dotting Matsumoto’s neck prettily.

“You have a lot of this,” Sho says, his voice soft, his only warning before he leans down and licks a mark with a pleased hum.

“I do,” Matsumoto gasps, his grip tightens on Sho’s waist.

The sound and the grip get lost in Sho’s delight. His hand at the back of Matsumoto’s gives a slight tug forward, pressing Matsumoto closer to him, while his other hand begins to feel its way to the shirt’s button. 

He leans back a little as he feels his fingers a button, unfastening it swiftly before leaning back to lick another mark. Matsumoto exhales noisily when Sho drops a wet kiss on the mark. Sho fingers descend and find another button, his palm brushing the smooth skin of Matsumoto’s chest. He unfastens it slowly, timing it at the same time as he finds another mark near Matsumoto’s ear. 

Sho can now smell that expensive cologne stronger as he nuzzles Matsumoto’s neck with another pleased hum. And this time, Sho doesn’t hold back and bites into the soft warm skin.

Matsumoto groans, his grips on Sho’s waist tightened before loosening and tightening again. 

This would be so much easier to do with magick—few flicks of wand can simply rid of their restricting clothes within seconds. Yet, this is so much more exhilarating, intoxicating; Sho can do this all night.

“You can’t,” Matsumoto says breathlessly. And with his lips still against Matsumoto’s neck, Sho’s chuckles at Matsumoto’s apparent impatience. 

He reaches the last button of Matsumoto’s shirt and flicks it open easily, letting it drop on the floor to join the already forgotten dress robe. Leaning back, Sho takes pleasure in seeing the open shirt, the sight of Matsumoto’s pale chest. 

His eyes track down to see his hand splay against Matsumoto’s flat stomach. They follow as the hand leisurely sliding upward to Matsumoto’s chest, delighting as Sho’s caress resulted in another loud inhale. They stop when his hand stopped at the juncture of Matsumoto’s neck, his fingers slightly trembling as Sho finds another mark. 

Matsumoto tilts his head up again, in open invitation this time, and Sho leans in again to suck the mark as his hand slides further up to cup Matsumoto’s nape. Heady euphoria floods Sho as he feels more of Matsumoto’s warm skin. 

The next moment, without warning, one of Matsumoto’s hands slides back to Sho’s thigh, and in a display of strength, he hitches Sho’s leg up around his waist. 

“Oh.” Sho scrambles for a firmer grip on Matsumoto, having his balance on his seat slightly changing—and fight a sudden spark of desire that he doesn’t know he ever has. Heady with anticipation, he asks, “Are you going to do what I think you’re going to do?”

“Yes,” Matsumoto says before adding, “Bedroom is just on the other side.”

Sho breathlessly chuckles. “Is that so?”

Matsumoto then heaves Sho into his arms, sending Sho squealing a bit at the impressive display of strength. Pressed closed to Matsumoto, Sho wraps his leg tightly holding tightly. 

Matsumoto gives Sho one last peck on his warm cheek before he says, “Bedroom door. Open.”

They cross the living room to get to the corner of the apartment, and along the way Sho notices several blinking lights of what seems to be a muggle smart home system. He says with an amused chuckle, “ _You_ said no magick,” 

“That’s not magick. That’s just technology,” Matsumoto says as they pass the door, concentration and effort clear on his face. He makes a flourished turn causing Sho to grip tighter—and squeal again—before seating himself at the edge of the bed, still with Sho securely in his lap. 

Matsumoto meets Sho’s gaze with a triumphant smile and Sho has to kiss him again, drowned in affection, delighting in soft rubs of Matsumoto’s hands over his back.

Matsumoto nudges Sho to get up from his lap, and Sho complies, taking two steps away. He is still in full clothes, and Matsumoto now sitting on his bed, barechested. Sho doesn’t know where to start. 

Taking his wand from his pocket, Matsumoto has his bed uncover by a flick of wand and Sho was about to protest—you said no magick, and why are you still holding a wand—before he’s caught in the sight of Matsumoto spreading his legs slowly.

“Take off your shirt, Sho-san.”

A shiver of anticipation runs through Sho’s shirt—the tone is so demanding, and yet they haven’t even started. His hand trembles as he tries to not hurry. He knows Matsumoto want to watch—so Sho’s going to give it to him.

Matsumoto stares at him with open delight as Sho divests his dress robe, and then his shirt—all in the same manner as he did Matsumoto, slow, with intent. 

When he’s done, standing now by the side of Matsumoto’s bed only in his trousers, Sho takes a step forward. Perhaps Matsumoto has another plan, perhaps Matsumoto wants another thing, but Sho wants one thing right now.

He kneels.

Matsumoto’s eyes widen in surprise, a soft gasp escaped his mouth, his legs instinctively shifted wider.

And Sho revels in the sight and consent, in the mild coldness hitting his naked back, in how his trousers felt even tighter, in the protest his kneecap already make known. He shifts closer to Matsumoto’s open legs, and reaches out to place both his hand on Matsumoto’s knees. “Let me.”

Matsumoto pulls out his wand from his pocket, letting it levitate and land to the bedside table before turning to Sho, and waits.

No longer wanting to delay—they are both already losing most part of their dress robes, Sho’s hand goes straight to strip the remaining cloth on Matsumoto, absently setting the divested fabric out of his way after. 

Sho slides his hand slowly up Matsumoto’s bare thighs as he shuffles forward. Reaching Matsumoto’s waist, pushing himself up his knees a bit, Sho’s hands continue up, stroking and touching warm sweaty skin. He leans forward to drop kisses on Matsumoto’s chest, smoothing a hand up Matsumoto's stomach, winds his hands around Matsumoto’s solid body, and demands.

Matsumoto’s fingers thread through Sho’s hair, tickling Sho’s nape a bit, pulling Sho closer, pressing and pinching in places. His hand rubs on Sho’s naked shoulder, encouraging Sho to _just_ get on with it, faster, now. Sho yields not to temptation though, slowly pacing his way retracing the path he mapped up Matsumoto’s body to slide back down to the starting point.

“Lean back a bit,” Sho says, pressing Matsumoto’s legs to part wider and falling back to his knees. 

After securing firm hold on Matsumoto’s thigh, Sho closes his hand around Matsumoto’s cock and leans forward for a wet lick, followed by closing his moist lips around its head.

“Oh fuck.”

The exclamation sends Sho’s brain whirling into lust overdrive. He enthusiastically gives Matsumoto a few more wet licks, basking in being so close yet so far from what he’s been wanting. He then looks up, eyes hooded and waiting for Matsumoto’s hooded eyes to meet his.

In husky whispers, Sho says, “Let go and I’ll fuck you after this.”

Seeing Matsumoto’s breath hitched sets immense burning of arousal coursing through Sho’s body. And he doesn’t wait any longer. He takes Matsumoto into his mouth in one smooth slide, yet excruciatingly slow, humming in pleasure when one of Matsumoto’s hands clutching painfully on his shoulder in response. 

This.

This, right here, is what has featured in his fantasy since the moment he laid his eyes on Matsumoto few years ago. This is what he has denied himself to ponder about since the night began—that they would end up in Matsumoto’s bed. He has thought, but never acted—all those longing stare across meeting rooms, all those drunken admissions he embarrassingly made to Nino. 

This, right now, is special, Sho reminds himself. He has wanted, but never made a move—and now Sho is filled with burning determination to do tonight well and treat Matsumoto right.

When Matsumoto’s other hand takes a tighter grip through his hair, seeking purchase and making demand, Sho knows he is off for a good start. He tightens his grips on Matsumoto’s hips, now that he’s established their rhythm, and begins in earnest.

“Your mouth— Oh. Yes.“

Sho retreats slightly before lurching forward and trying to completely take Matsumoto into his mouth. He flattens his tongue, savoring the taste, saliva dribbling from the side of his mouth. He can now feel the tip of Matsumoto’s cock sliding past the back of his throat. Sho’s mouth is full, wet, and he gags. He looks up and finds Matsumoto’s face flushed and looking down at him with amazement, so he pulls back, licks apologetically over the head before sliding Matsumoto’s cock back down into his mouth. It chokes him again, and this time Sho tries swallowing.

Sho’s heart beats wildly against his chest, his own erection straining painfully in his trousers. He feels dampness around his lashes as he tries to blink into focus, and finds a sight that is way beyond his most perverted fantasy. As he lets out delicious incoherent groans, Matsumoto’s head is thrown back, exposing that beautiful pale neck Sho has come to like so much. 

He hums, feeling Matsumoto’s hand pulling his hair hard, and his mind buzzes with hot pleasure. Now that Matsumoto’s cock is fully hard and wet, his thighs closing in to wrap around Sho’s head, it is easier for Sho to just let Matsumoto fuck his mouth. Both Matsumoto’s hands have moved to the sides of his head, framing Sho’s head, beginning to lead Sho for his preferred pace. His hips are now unconsciously moving forward to meet Sho’s mouth. 

Sho swallows around Matsumoto again, nothing matters but Matsumoto and the delicious weight at the back of his throat, close on being too much but far from enough.

His jaw is starting to hurt—yet Sho doesn’t want to let on, doesn’t want miss a single sharp inhale, doesn’t want to take away his gaze up Matsumoto’s blissed expression. He takes firmer grip for the ride and forces himself to keep looking up, meeting Matsumoto’s gaze every time those beautiful eyes open.

Sho feels, rather than sees, Matsumoto groaning, pulling tightly on Sho’s hair denying escape, chasing his pleasure, and taking what Sho’s been so willingly giving. It only sets a single blinding goal within Sho; he wants to make this good for Matsumoto, wants Matsumoto to let go come in his mouth, turning moans into screams of pleasure. He wriggles free one of his hands from the tight space between Matsumoto’s thigh, wiping his own saliva down his neck and slipping his wet fingers further back to fondle Matsumoto’s balls and give him the extra push.

“Oh, sorry— Fuck, fuck.” Jolting with surprise, Matsumoto shoves his hip forward, sending his cock deeper. Sho has to draw a half-breath, ignoring his dizzy mind, before driving himself as far down on Matsumoto’s cock as he can. It’s only a matter of time now, Sho thinks with excitement. 

At the sound of a high pitch whine, at the final grip around his hair, Sho slides his wet fingers further to trace Matsumoto’s rim. Matsumoto stiffens at the light touch and then he is coming with a gasp, fingers pulling hard at Sho’s hair as he shudders through his orgasm.

Sho waits for moments, allowing Matsumoto to ride his pleasure and diligently sucking until Matsumoto finally pulls out, still gasping for breath. Sho gathers all the come he can get onto his tongue, waits for Matsumoto to stare down and hold his gaze, and spits on the floor.

“Fuck.” 

Matsumoto stares at him with disbelief before he launches into a laughing fit and fall down into the bed behind him. His voice sounds low and warm. “Sho-san, fuck— That’s—”

After pressing a kiss to Matsumoto’s hip, Sho’s hands slides up on Matsumoto’s thigh. He clambers up onto the bed and pulls Matsumoto’s pliant body to the center of the bed, wanting to be close. He sighs as he lies beside Matsumoto, sweating, rather breathless, positively filthy, and beyond pleased. 

“Give me a moment,” Matsumoto says, his hand rubbing soft hands over Sho’s cheek.

Sho is beyond aroused, slightly impatient, but he also wants Matsumoto to take his time. Sho turns leans against Matsumoto’s touch, in reply dropping small pecks as his hands settling across Matsumoto’s smooth chest. “Okay.”

When Matsumoto’s breathing starting to level, Sho presses close, nuzzling up against Matsumoto’s side, and hitches one of his legs across Matsumoto’s. His trousers feel like the greatest obstacle—rough friction on his legs as he moves to rub himself against Matsumoto—but Sho wants Matsumoto to take his time.

“I can’t believe you just spit come onto my floor just like that.”

Sho laughs against Matsumoto’s neck. His face is burning with satisfaction. “I can charm it clean in no time.”

“You don't—“ Matsumoto squirms Sho shifts his lips and kisses the back of his ears. “Ah, tickles!”

“Sorry, sorry” Sho whispers with a smile, his hands now wrapped around Matsumoto to keep him close. “You were saying?”

“You could not possibly know the spell.” 

In response, Sho sucks into the back of Matsumoto’s ear, pleased to find the same spot he kisses back at the kitchen, rather hard—that would leave a mark, for sure, Sho smiles smugly—“I don’t actually,” he admits, “but I can find out. I _will_ find out.”

“That will definitely leave mark,” Matsumoto says, his hand flail to grip Sho’s arm. His tone is soft when he says, “Sho-san.”

“Mhmm?” Sho leans back, finding that it did leave mark before meeting Matsumoto’s squinting at him with a satisfied smile. “What?”

Matsumoto shifts swiftly so he’s now lying on his side and facing Sho, his legs tackling. Both his hands frame Sho’s flushed face, his thumb brushing on Sho’s swollen lips. Matsumoto smiles, eyes sparkled with pleasure, and Sho is utterly undone. 

Yet, it is unhurried and lazy when they kiss. After the heady rush, everything enfolds like molasses again. Sho tightens his hold allowing Matsumoto to have his way. Matsumoto sighs into his mouth, tasting himself on Sho with a pleased hum. Their bodies are pressed close; it’s too warm. Every part of Sho’s body is singing with anticipation; it’s too much. Everything is so close, but still not enough. 

Matsumoto then shifts around Sho’s hold, squeezing Sho tight for a moment before letting him go, and Sho outright whines at the loss, his hand trying to grasp the first part of Matsumoto he could reach. “Where’re you going?“

“Bathroom,” Matsumoto says as he slowly slides off bed, batting Sho’s attempt to get a hold of him. He looks glorious standing naked over the bed, several red marks—Sho shivers in delight, those were his—adorned his pale neck, his eyes sharp as he stares Sho with sizzling promises. He reaches down and gives Sho’s trouser a slight tug. “Be naked when I’m back.”

Oh.

Oh, that’s easy enough, Sho snorts in silent laughter. He has to take a moment to bury his face into the cool sheet after Matsumoto left the room. If everything felt like smothering warmth before now everything is blazing heatfyre.

He shrugs off his trousers with little difficulty, and lets out a loud groan when he finally, fucking finally, closes his hand around his cock. He closes his eyes as he pumps himself a few time, just some short quick relief after all the holding back. He still can’t believe he went through a blowjob of his dream with Matsumoto, still with his trousers on. 

And now—

Sho startles a bit when he feels Matsumoto return to the same spot next to him. His eyes flutters open when he feels a wet kiss on the corner of his mouth, his hand reaching back to touch and grounding them together.

Matsumoto whispers against Sho’s lips, his body pressing closer. “Prepare me first.”

“Can we just—“ Sho says again, fully realizing the impatience of his tone. Now that Matsumoto returned to his side, they could have just started now, right? “I just need—“

Matsumoto secures his hold around Sho, and with a tug and a leg hook, he pulls Sho on top of his body. “We said no magick tonight.”

“But I know this one spell by heart,” Sho says, slightly breathless from the movement. He knows he’s pouting now, but Matsumoto is under him now, willing and warm.

“There’ll be next time.” Matsumoto smiles as he reaches one hand to caress Sho’s cheek. He shifts a bit to open his legs, and grins. “Now, you did say you’re going to fuck me.”

Sho accepts the lube offered, still pursuing his lips in impatience. Next time will it will be he who decides then—and no more no magick agreement. Next time will be fast, rough, with all the magick he could use. 

But now—

Sho takes a deep breath, trying to ground himself, looking at Matsumoto spread below him once again. Matsumoto shifts again, getting more comfortable on his bed. He has his legs spread, with one of them wrapped around Sho’s waist. His hand reaches to have Sho closer. 

Now, Sho reminds himself, is special.

Special.

Sho scoots closer and sets himself between Matsumoto’s legs. He hitches one Matsumoto’s leg—smiling as Matsumoto’s other leg pulling tighter around his waist—over his shoulder with visible effort, and holds it there. 

His lubed fingers find Matsumoto’s rim, grazing lightly teasingly, rubbing the pad of his fingers along it. When Sho slowly presses two fingers in, Matsumoto sighs, his eyes fluttering closed. 

“That feels good.”

A surge of intoxicating thrill runs through Sho’s body, at the sound, seeing Matsumoto with his head thrown back, his neck and chest red and sweaty, his legs stayed opened for Sho. He keeps his fingers moving steady for a while, taken breathless when Matsumoto’s heat sucks his fingers in, humming with delight as he sees how much this affects Matsumoto. 

He has this strong desire to lean forward and capture Matsumoto’s gasping mouth in a kiss. He shuffles forward, crooking his fingers in a new angle, and watches Matsumoto’s breath hitches again. When Matsumoto’s eyes flutters open, Sho is already on top of him, pressing their bodies together. He kisses the corner of Matsumoto’s lips, his eyes straight into Matsumoto’s dark eyes, and says. “Okay?”

Matsumoto only nods silently, his eyes closing again when the tip of Sho’s middle finger grazes slightly, grunting in pleasure. 

Sho slips his fingers out to apply more lube and before Matsumoto could even protest he presses three fingers back in. He ups his pace, giving Matsumoto’s soothing kisses as Matsumoto wiggles and overcome his earlier discomfort. When Matsumoto throws his head back in a moan, Sho shuffles forward to hitch his leg even higher and insistently speeds up. 

His sight and mind are filled with Matsumoto writhing under his ministration, that long pale throat is inviting Sho to mark, the impressive chest is heaving erratically as Matsumoto is overwhelmed by Sho’s force of desire. Unraveling beautifully before Sho, losing his breaths over Sho’s touches and display of lust, Matsumoto reaches out to seek purchase on Sho’s arm, and asks.

“Please.”

Rushes of powerful lust surge through his body, dizzying, rendering Sho’s speechless.

Matsumoto.

Matsumoto—who once Sho considered way is out of his league, who once was just a faraway object of admiration, who looks so composed and fierce in daylight—is now writhing under him, moaning beautifully, asking for Sho to fuck him.

He holds his breath. He clamps his grip on Matsumoto’s hips. And Sho presses his cock excruciating slow. He instantly relishes the burns. He moans as the welcoming heat surrounds him. 

Sho rolls his hips, shallowly, carefully, knowing that he should be considerate, that it only takes just a little bit more waiting. He’s been good all night. He’s been waiting and giving all night. He can give Matsumoto this. His throat is dry, he cannot find his voice; he wants to tell Matsumoto that he wants to give anything to him at this moment. All he needs to do is ask, and Sho is willing to give anything. He wants to tell Matsumoto that he is so grateful for tonight, for this right here, for the closeness and consent. He wants Matsumoto to take everything he wants, everything.

“No, take what _you_ want.” Matsumoto is looking at Sho with fiery burning passion in his eyes, asking, also wanting Sho to take what Sho wants from him, chasing that blinding pleasure together to the end. And Sho groans with pleasure as Matsumoto moves his hips to meet’s Sho’s thrust coaxingly. 

“Take me.” 

It’s an offer he find difficult to resist and he rolls his hips faster, trying to bask in the heady pleasure, but it is not enough. He’s close. Fuck, he’s so close. He only needs a little bit more. 

“Take me, Sho-san,” Matsumoto says again breathlessly.

That does it.

Sho grunts as he abruptly pulls out, his palm landing against Matsumoto’s ass, urging him. “Turn around.”

Matsumoto then lets out a high pitched yelp and jolts at the slap before wetting his lips breathlessly. Eyes fixed on Sho, he slowly—slower than Sho would like—turns to get on his knees, giving Sho full view of lean strong back. 

Now with face down, hands clutching on the sheets, Matsumoto pushes his thighs together and tilts his ass up, and Sho is totally gone.

Landing another slap again, Sho growls as he crawls forward. He slides back into Matsumoto again, rougher this time with his grip tight on Matsumoto’s hips, chest against back, half of his body pressing close against Matsumoto.

Fuck.

The new angle is heavenly. Sho begins fucking Matsumoto’s, his hips rolling in quick rhythm, his thrusts relentless. He pushes, pulls, slamming his hips into Matsumoto’s tight heat. The sounds Matsumoto’s making, the keen whines and curses, set Sho’s on fire.

He growls in impatience—this is all too much, but not enough, he only wants more, and more—and Matsumoto bends upward, making himself so tight around Sho, all the delicious heat. Their body heats melds into each other. Their ragged breaths chase one another. 

One of Sho’s reaches up to take a loose hold around Matsumoto’s throat, pulling Matsumoto along the rhythm their joined bodies have created, and mold him into submission. 

“You’re so good to me,” Matsumoto gasps, delirious, panting with pleasure. 

And Sho only thrusts into Matsumoto more forcefully, fucking Matsumoto in earnest. Blinding pleasure and sparks of lust and Matsumoto—the things that matter—fill his mind. He no longer cares if Matsumoto is with him or not, he no longer cares of anything else— Matsumoto told him to take what he wants, and what Sho wants is to chase pleasure, to use Matsumoto’s body to reach the height of pleasure.

Everything around Sho is reduced to only the movement of his hips, his stuttered curses, and the only one who matters at the moment, Matsumoto, engulfed in the surrounding heat, in the coiling force of their shared connection.

Pleasure consumes Sho as Matsumoto shifts in Sho’s hold just at the right moment, and it’s not enough, still not enough. Sho takes and takes and takes. He shoves Matsumoto down, grinding his hips desperately against Matsumoto’s ass with deep and loud groans.

Black spots dance in his vision as Sho comes deep into Matsumoto, shuddering with waves of blinding pleasure. His grip only tightens, his hips don’t stop moving, and for a long blissful moment Sho only cares on keeping his shallow thrusts, biting Matsumoto's shoulder, grinding into him, and riding his orgasm.

Matsumoto’s soft groan from under him is the first thing that brings Sho around. And only then he realizes Matsumoto is still pinned down by Sho’s weight, trembling in Sho’s hold, desperate for friction that Sho hasn’t been providing. 

Sho grunts, still out of breath, dropping kisses over Matsumoto’s shaking shoulder, nuzzling against Matsumoto’s sweaty nape. His mind is still blazing with the heat of his release, but his hand tightens his hold reassuringly around Matsumoto. “Shhh.”

Sho keeps Matsumoto’s back pressed against his chest, and takes Matsumoto’s cock in his hand. There’s no holding back. There’s no way but going over the crest of pleasure. 

Still in Sho’s arm, Matsumoto turns to stare straight to Sho’s eyes, his own eyes wild, his cheeks burning, He gasps when Sho’s sweaty hand slides down his smooth stomach, and at the next moment wrapping around his cock with a tight grip. 

“So good.”

Sho starts moving his fists, not wanting to tease or deny Matsumoto further. “You’re so good to me,” he whispers into Matsumoto’s ear—returning Matsumoto’s words to him. He bites into the mark he made earlier behind Matsumoto’s ear. “So fucking good.”

Matsumoto clamps his hands around Sho’s arm, and starts rocking his cock into Sho’s grip. It doesn’t take much for Matsumoto to start blindly chasing his pleasure with Sho still soft inside him. With Sho’s hold enable anchoring him, Matsumoto’s back arches, pressing violently against Sho’s chest, and comes all over Sho’s hand with loud grunts.

Still, Sho continues stroking, keeping his fist loose around Matsumoto, helping him to calm after shuddering through orgasm. 

Matsumoto then sags on to the bed, elbows unable to hold himself up any longer. He makes the cutest tiny content noises in the back of his throat as he pulls Sho down to the bed with him. 

Sho takes great care to slip out before dropping next to Matsumoto, not wanting to squash him. Every joint in his body hurts, but Sho can’t stop himself from shifting even closer, slowly caressing Matsumoto’s back while murmuring comfort. He closes his eyes and allows himself to bask in the their closeness, being absolutely content in being filthy sweaty fucked out tangled of loose limbs with Matsumoto.

Matsumoto finally shifts, with effort lifting his face from the bed and turning to face Sho with soft expression, sleepy eyes, and a lazy smile on his face. 

Sho’s absolutely charmed. He reaches out to touch Matsumoto’s cheek, delighted when he finds it warm, and leans closer to give Matsumoto a sweet kiss. In a while, there’s nothing but soft presses of lips against lips, breathing each other’s air. 

“Sho-san,” Matsumoto finally breathes against Sho’s lips. 

“Yes?”

“I’m definitely keeping you.”

Sho laughs weakly. Comforting enclosed silence falls afterward. They keep pressed close until they are both coming down completely. He still doesn’t know where this will lead, but he’d look forward to enjoy his day off the next day. He stares at Matsumoto with a meaningful smile.

“What is it? I can’t read mind, Sho-san.”

Yeah you can, Sho’s smile only widens. But he says it what he has in mind anyway. “I’ll be good.”

Matsumoto looks so pleased, and he leans forward for long breathtaking kiss before he says, “I know you will.”

Everything after is pleasantly blurry and deliriously warm. 

He feels Matsumoto dragging him to the bathroom for a hot shower. They both hold onto each other as they quickly clean up. Back on the bed, Sho feels Matsumoto next to him, his wand out as busily fuss with the blankets and the bedroom light. He is lying contently on his side, clean and warm, eyes already closed when he feels Matsumoto’s touch over his cheek and a warm arm looping around his waist.

Sho really doesn’t want to move but he shifts closer to the embrace. He feels Matsumoto’s kissing his hair, arm tightening around him, and a solid chest against his face. Sho hums sleepily, smiling contently, and stays there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was originally a companion fic, or let’s say prologue, for a Jun-centric fic I attempted to write for his birthday last year. I’d never gotten my way around finishing it on time and suddenly it was January. I truly hope I don’t have to wait till August to post the second part, but just in case.


End file.
